Foldable postal card



July 21, 1964 K. KOEHLER FOLDABLE POSTAL CARD Filed Oct. 29, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l E.E I PUT 5 YOUR l THl NKlN G' mmvrox K or! K oerhler ATTORNEY July 21, 1964 K. KOEHLER FOLDABLE POSTAL CARD 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Oct. 29, 1962 INVENTOR.

Karl Koehler ATTORNEY United States Patent Oflice Patented July 21, 1964 3,141,549 FOLDAELE lOSTAL CARD Karl Koehier, Coopersburg, Pa. Filed Get. 2% 1962, Ser. No. 233,968 4 Claims. (Cl. 206-42) This invention relates to a foldable postal card and, more particularly, relates to a paper fold construction which provides a flip action when a portion of the fold is pulled out or otherwise moved by finger action.

Conventional postal cards of the foldable type have outstanding disadvantage of providing nothing to forcefully call attention to any particular portion of the card, consequently when used for advertising, important advertising data is often overlooked.

An object of the present invention is to provide a foldable, postal card which is devoid of the above named disadvantage and which will provide a flip action when unfolded or opened, so as to call attention to a particular portion of the fold in a striking manner.

Gther objects and advantages will become apparent from a study of the following description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a foldable postal ca d embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view thereof when the card is folded;

FIG. 3 is a rear view, showing the fold partially opened and in position before a portion of the tab is pulled outwardly;

FIG. 4 is a View similar to FIG. 3 except that it shows the card in the position after the tab is pulled outwardly to provide flip action and expose the folded portion of the card; and,

FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of a modification, shown closed and open, respectively, and FIG. 7 is a top view of FIG. 6.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, numeral 1 denotes, generally, a postal card made of paper, cardboard or other suitable material. Front panel or portion 2 of the card may be that on which the addressees name and address appears as well as the postage. A flap portion 3 of panel 2 is folded over about half of the rear portion of the card as shown in FIG. 2 and is provided with an integral tab portion 3a which is adapted to extend through a slot 411 formed in the crease line 4b of rear panel 4 of the postal card.

Crease line 412 acts as a pivot for the panel portions on each side thereof, as shown more clearly in FIG. 4. The left marginal portion, only, of panel 4 is glued onto or otherwise adhered to panel 2 and the entire portion of panel 4 to the right of crease line 411 is glued at 5 to panel 6, as shown more clearly in FIG. 4. Panel 6 has a substantially central, crease line or fold 6b and has an integral pull out tab 6a. It will be especially noted that when in folded position,-a portion of panel 6 extends to the left of crease line 411 as viewed in FIG. 3.

In operation, when the folded card, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is to be opened, panel 3 is pulled to the right so as to withdraw tab 3a from slot 4a and unfold flap 3 into the position shown in FIG. 3. Then the tab 6a, bearing the instructions pull out, is pulled in the direction shown by the arrow, as viewed in FIG. 3, whereupon the fold line or crease 61) will bear against and slide on the rear surface of panel 2, thus gradually pivoting the right hand portion of panel 4 relative to the left hand portion until finally, when the crease 6b passes the dead center provided by crease line 4b, the rear panel portion 6 will become suddenly unfolded and will flip to the position shown in FIG. 4. This flip action is a very quick one and makes an immediate change of view from that represented in FIG. 3 to that shown in FIG. 4, so that the latter will be forcibly called to the attention of the viewer. Advertising gimmicks or articles can be enclosed within the folded panel 6 so that when it is unfolded or flipped open, they will be suddenly called to the attention of the viewer in a rather spectacular Way, thus making a lasting impression on the viewer and enabling the card to provide sales or promotion appeal.

FIG. 5 illustrates a modification of the invention without a pull-out tab, shown in the folded position and indicated generally by numeral 10. It comprises a stiff back panel 12 of cardboard or similar material which is spaced from a stiff front panel 15 and integrally joined therewith through edge portion 11. Front panel 15 has a fold or crease line denoted by the vertical dash lines 15a. Spacer strips 14 are adhered to the front and rear panels to provide a spacing therebetween.

FIG. 6 shows the card when manually moved to the open position which is accomplished by bending or folding the front panel 13 about the crease line shown in dash outline. As the folder is being opened an integral reversely bent extension 15-16 of the front panel 13 will slide along the surface of back panel 12, and slightly spring apart the front and rear portions closest to spacers 14 until the edge of extension 16 passes dead center, after which it will spring to the position shown by the tendency of the sprung front and rear portions to return to their normal, unsprung positions.

The card may then be placed upright on the table surface so that the printed matter on sheet 19, adhered to back panel 12, may be exposed. Also exposed may be any Wares supported on sheet 17, shown in dash and dot outline, such as pills, postage stamps, or anything that may be supported on a sheet. The sheet 17 has one edge portion fastened to and sandwiched between extension 16 and the end portion of panel 15.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the card in the position shown in FIG. 6. The left edge of sheet 19 may serve as a stop for the adjoining edge of extension 16, if so desired or may be spaced therefrom as shown.

The card is also useful for advertising leaflets, greeting cards and the like, and is particularly fascinating to children.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an inexpensive and efficient postal card of the foldable type with a flip action which is highly effective to call special attention to a particular fold in the card, which makes a striking impression on the viewer, and which has sales and promotional appeal.

While I have illustrated and described several embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that these are by way of illustration only, and that various changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A foldable card having a front panel having a foldable extension with an integrd tab, a rear panel adhered to said front portion only along a marginal portion thereof opposite said tab and having a substantially central, vertically extending crease line for effecting a fold, a third panel having a marginal portion adhered to the rear portion of said rear panel on only one side of said crease line, said third panel having a substantial central, vertically extending crease line which is normally sandwiched between said front panel and said rear panel on the other side of said second panel fold, said third panel having an integral tab projecting outwardly beyond the margin of said rear panel, whereby upon pulling said last mentioned tab, said rear panel will be folded over about its crease line as a consequence of sliding movement of said third panel crease line against the rear portion of said front panel to provide flip action after passing the dead center of said second panel crease line, thereby unfolding said third panel and suddenly exposing the interior surface thereof.

2. A foldable card as recited in claim 1 together with a sheet supporting merchandise, said sheet attached to the rear surface of said front panel.

3. A foldable card in the form of a booklet having a still? rear panel and a stiff front panel, spacer strip means joining the adjoining end portions of said panels so that the panels will be held in spaced relationship, said front panel having a vertical crease line extending parallel to said spacer strip means, the free end portion of said front panel being reversely bent upon itself and forming a double layer only up to said crease line, the inner layer portion of said double layer having a single-layered extension projecting beyond said crease line by a distance greater than the spacing between said front and rear panels so as to push against said rear panel and spring apart said front and rear panels until said extension 4 passes dead center when the front panel is folded on said crease line, reading matter on the inner surface of said rear panel and beyond the crease line of said front panel away from said spacer strip means, whereby when said extension passes dead center said reading matter will be exposed to view.

4. A foldable card as recited in claim 3 wherein said extension is in the form of a reversely bent portion forming a double layer and wherein a sheet supporting rner chandise has an end portion sandwiched between and held by said last mentioned double layer so as to expose also said merchandise when said card is opened.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,164,027 William June 27, 1939 2,472,166 Mathewson June 7, 1949 3,035,752 Tedeschi May 22, 1962 

1. A FOLDABLE CARD HAVING A FRONT PANEL HAVING A FOLDABLE EXTENSION WITH AN INTEGRAL TAB, A REAR PANEL ADHERED TO SAID FRONT PORTION ONLY ALONG A MARGINAL PORTION THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID TAB AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRAL, VERTICALLY EXTENDING CREASE LINE FOR EFFECTING A FOLD, A THIRD PANEL HAVING A MARGINAL PORTION ADHERED TO THE REAR PORTION OF SAID REAR PANEL ON ONLY ONE SIDE OF SAID CREASE LINE, SAID THIRD PANEL HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL CENTRAL, VERTICALLY EXTENDING CREASE LINE WHICH IS NORMALLY SANDWICHED BETWEEN SAID FRONT PANEL AND SAID REAR PANEL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID SECOND PANEL FOLD, SAID THIRD PANEL HAVING AN INTEGRAL TAB PROJECTING OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE MARGIN OF SAID REAR PANEL, WHEREBY UPON PULLING SAID LAST MENTIONED TAB, SAID REAR PANEL WILL BE FOLDED OVER ABOUT ITS CREASE LINE AS A CONSEQUENCE OF SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID THIRD PANEL CREASE LINE AGAINST THE REAR PORTION OF SAID FRONT PANEL TO PROVIDE FLIP ACTION AFTER PASSING THE DEAD CENTER OF SAID SECOND PANEL CREASE LINE, THEREBY UNFOLDING SAID THIRD PANEL AND SUDDENLY EXPOSING THE INTERIOR SURFACE THEREOF. 